Peter Ebdon of Great Britain plays a shot during the first round match of the World Championship Snooker tournament against Ronnie O'Sullivan of Great Britain at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, north-west England on April 23, 2012. AFP PHOTO/ANDREW YATES. (Photo credit should read ANDREW YATES/AFP via Getty Images)

Former World Snooker Champion forced to retire to avoid ‘risky’ surgery

‘The Force’ claimed that success in 2002, and reached two more finals in losing efforts to Hendry and Graeme Dott.

Peter Ebdon of England in action against Judd Trump of England during the 2010 World Snooker China Open at Beijing University Students Gymnasium on March 31, 2010 in Beijing, China. Pic: Visual China Group via Getty Images

But at 49, the Londoner has revealed that he has decided to call time on his successful career, where he won eight ranking events in total.

He said: ‘I had an MRI scan about seven weeks ago which picked up significant wear and tear in my neck.

‘Two of the vertebrae need to be replaced, which is not an operation I want to have because if it went wrong I could be in a wheelchair for the rest of my life.

‘It’s far too risky. The professor explained to me that it wouldn’t be a cure. It could work, but it could make things worse and I would probably need to have it again in 10 years.

‘So, as sad as it is for me, that’s the end. Having weighed everything up that is the decision I have come to.’

Ebdon also won the UK Championship in 2006, and played in the professional game for 29 years before succumbing to his neck and back injuries.

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